Single-phase Ag2Al intermetallic nanoparticles, and Ag and Al metallic nanoparticles were synthesized by the flow-levitation （FL） method. Measurements of d-spacings from X-ray diffraction and electron diffraction co...Single-phase Ag2Al intermetallic nanoparticles, and Ag and Al metallic nanoparticles were synthesized by the flow-levitation （FL） method. Measurements of d-spacings from X-ray diffraction and electron diffraction confirmed that the intermetallic nanoparticles had the hexagonal Ag2Al structure. The morphology, crystal structure and chemical composition of Ag2Al nanoparticles were investigated by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and induction-coupled plasma spectroscopy. A thin amorphous coating was formed around the particles when exposed to air. Based on the XPS measurements, the surface coating of the Ag2Al nanoparticles could most likely be aluminum oxide or silver aluminum oxide. Therefore, the single-phase nanocrystalline Ag2Al intermetallic compound particles can be produced by adjusting some experimental parameters in FL method.展开更多
Metallic silver （Ag） and its ability to combat infection have been known since ancient history. In the wake of nanotechnology advancement, silver＇s efficacy to fight broad spectrum bacterial infections is further i...Metallic silver （Ag） and its ability to combat infection have been known since ancient history. In the wake of nanotechnology advancement, silver＇s efficacy to fight broad spectrum bacterial infections is further improved in the form of Ag nanoparticles （NPs）. Recent studies have ascribed the broad spectrum antimicrobial properties of Ag NPs to dissociation of Ag＊ ions from the NPs, which may not be entirely applicable when the size of Ag NPs decreases to the sub-2 nm range [denoted Ag nanoclusters （NCs）]. In this paper we report that ultrasmall glutathione （GSH）-protected Ag^＋-rich NCs （Ag^＋-R NCs for short, with a predominance of Ag＋ species in the NCs） have much higher antimicrobial activities towards both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria than the reference NC, GSH-Ag^＋-R NCs. They have the same size and surface ligand, but with different oxidation states of the core silver. This interesting finding suggests that the undissociated Ag^＋-R NCs armed with abundant Ag^＋ ions on the surface are highly active in bacterial killing, which was not observed in the system of their larger counterpart, Ag NPs.展开更多
基金Project (10804101) supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China
文摘Single-phase Ag2Al intermetallic nanoparticles, and Ag and Al metallic nanoparticles were synthesized by the flow-levitation （FL） method. Measurements of d-spacings from X-ray diffraction and electron diffraction confirmed that the intermetallic nanoparticles had the hexagonal Ag2Al structure. The morphology, crystal structure and chemical composition of Ag2Al nanoparticles were investigated by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and induction-coupled plasma spectroscopy. A thin amorphous coating was formed around the particles when exposed to air. Based on the XPS measurements, the surface coating of the Ag2Al nanoparticles could most likely be aluminum oxide or silver aluminum oxide. Therefore, the single-phase nanocrystalline Ag2Al intermetallic compound particles can be produced by adjusting some experimental parameters in FL method.
文摘Metallic silver （Ag） and its ability to combat infection have been known since ancient history. In the wake of nanotechnology advancement, silver＇s efficacy to fight broad spectrum bacterial infections is further improved in the form of Ag nanoparticles （NPs）. Recent studies have ascribed the broad spectrum antimicrobial properties of Ag NPs to dissociation of Ag＊ ions from the NPs, which may not be entirely applicable when the size of Ag NPs decreases to the sub-2 nm range [denoted Ag nanoclusters （NCs）]. In this paper we report that ultrasmall glutathione （GSH）-protected Ag^＋-rich NCs （Ag^＋-R NCs for short, with a predominance of Ag＋ species in the NCs） have much higher antimicrobial activities towards both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria than the reference NC, GSH-Ag^＋-R NCs. They have the same size and surface ligand, but with different oxidation states of the core silver. This interesting finding suggests that the undissociated Ag^＋-R NCs armed with abundant Ag^＋ ions on the surface are highly active in bacterial killing, which was not observed in the system of their larger counterpart, Ag NPs.
